Search for 2 missing pilot in Prachin Buri continues

On August 9, a two-seater plane with pilots in training Pokin Praisanong and Pranop Wilapan, both 22, disappeared from radar and went down in dense forests of Khao Yai National Park in conjunction with Prachin Buri, Nakhon Nayok and Saraburi.

Despite massive helicopter's search and rescuers' trekking 30 kilometres radius, no traces of them had been found.

The search with five helicopters continued for the 7th day on Wednesday focusing at Jet Khod fall in Saraburi's Kaeng Khoi district.

Local Somjit Poonsa-nga claimed to see the plane flying low towards the area near Ban Noen Hinjan in Pak Pli district's Tambon Na Hin Lad on August 9 about 11am and heard a loud explosion from Khao Yai National Park.

Somjit and fellow 4-5 villagers believed the crash site might be in Khao Phrabath Forest so they trekked there, worshiped the supernatural being and then smelled of corpses in a steep valley so they alerted the rescuers on Tuesday evening.

As a search team was dispatched, 4-5 villagers who led the way said they were excited about the rewards, which according to a TV news the pilots' relatives offered Bt200,000 for those spotted the pilots and Bt1 million for the plane wreck.

The Nation